Supporting bed for glass sheets



Nov. 28, 1944- E. L. WALTERS SUPPORTING BED FOR GLASS SHEETS Filed Jan. 10, 1942 :mpentop [MW/77 L. Mmsxs.

' attorney 2,363,631 a g h a SUPPORTING BED FOR. GLASS smin'rsf Emmett L. Walters, ToledofOhio, assignorto a w Libbey-OWenS-Ford Glass Company, Toledo, I Ohio; a corporation ofOhio 1.

9 Application January 10,1942. ser al No. 426,334 5 Claims. (01. 51-277) "lhe present inventionrelates broadly to the surfacing of glass sheets or plates andmore particularly to an improved type of bed for supportingthe said sheets or plates during surfacing and tofthe method of and apparatus for forming said In the surfacing of glass sheets according to one known process, a plurality of sheets are mountedupon a series of carsor tables arranged I in end to end relation and movable continuously ina definite, substantially horizontalpath to carry the glass sheets first beneath and in engagementwith a series of grinding units and then beneath and inengagement with a series of .pol-

ishing units. The glass sheets are laid end to end upon the cars or tables. in slightly spaced relation, and it has been customary to secure the sheets upon the tops thereof hy embedding them plaster of Paris is ordinarily mixed with water and then poured upon the tables, with the plaster mix being spread as uniformly as possible over the tops thereof. The glass sheets are then laid upon the layer of wet plaster and pressed downwardly therein, usually by arolling pressure applied to the upper surfaces of the sheets or by stamping thereon.

an improved type of supporting bed for the glass sheets formed from a material which will present a. smooth, even surface of velvety texture and clothlike appearance upon whichthe sheets can be laid and whichwill notmar or scratch the lass.

vision of an improved type of supporting bed for the glas sheet which can be'jrapidly and conveniently applied to the tablesin an economical manner and upon which theglass sheets are adapted to be freely supported, whereby they may be readilyfplaced thereupon and removed there from.

I material formed of short or, powderedfibers is in a layer of plaster of Paris or the like. 1 The The quality of the resultant finishon the glass sheets (i. e., freedom from waves and distortion) 0 93 V grinding and polishing operation are largely'dependent upon the proper laying of the glass sheets as well as the amount of breakage during the upon the work tables Although the above-described method of securing the glass sheets to the tables with plaster has been in general use over 1 a comparatively long period, it is not entirely For'instance, it is satisfactory in all respects.

relatively difficult to spread the plaster mix uniformlyupon the tops of the tables to provide an even supporting bed for theglass sheets, with the result. that, when thevsheets are pressed downwardly into the plasterystrains are aptto be set I up in the glass, tending toward breakagethereof during grindingand polishing. Further, when the. strained glass sheets are released from the paratus for forming thebed partially in secapplied to the ,tops of the tables,preferably by spraying the same thereupongto provide asoft uniform mat for supporting the glass sheets and also wherein the necessity of pressing the sheets ployed to designate like parts throughout the same: v

Fig.1 is a plan view of one form of continuous system for surfacing sheet glass embodying the present invention; i I u i Fig. 2*is a vertical longitudinal section taken substantially on'line 2-2 ofFig. 1; i

Fig. 3 isaplan view of a portion of the aption;

Fig. 4 is a detail transverse section taken sub stantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the manner of laying the glass sheet upon-the work tables.

.plasten-they will spring back to normal position, causing the formationiof waves. or distortion in 3 the glass. Plaster also doesnot form a smooth supporting surface for the glass sheets and it may also contain foreign materials. which willmaror scratch the glass surface. In addition. considerable time and labor isinvolved in mixing and spreading the plaster and in rolling or. stamping theglasssheetstherein. j. M l. 1 An object of this invention is the provision of ribs I3.

With reference now .tothe' drawing, the continuous system for surfacing sheet glass therein.

disclosed comprises a plurality of cars or tables l0 arranged in end to end relation and suitably secured to one another; said tables having wheels ll which run along rails 9. Each table 10 comprises a flat horizontal top 12 provided along the edges thereof :with raised strips. or

opposite side The glass sheets M to be surfacedare laid upon the tops of the tables 310 at the laying station represented by the letter A in Fig. 1, and carried Another object of the invention is the pro be facilitated by employing a suitable suction frame l't orthe like, while a second suction frame. Il may be used to remove the sheets after surfacing at the stripping station B.

tops of the tables I!) by first spreading a. mixture of plaster of Paris or the like and water over the tables, then laying the glass sheets thereupon and finally pressing the sheets into the plaster by rolling or stamping. In accordance with the present invention, the use of plaster of Paris or like material is eliminated, and there is provided a new and improved type of supporting bed l8 for the glass sheets composed of a material which will form a soft, yielding mat upon which the sheets may be freely laid and which will not tend to scratch or mar the glass surfaces in contact therewith. The supporting bed I8 is formed of short or po'wdered'fibers of the type generally referred to as flock. Varioustypes of flock are available on the market; some being derived from cotton, some from wool,v and. some from artificial silks, such as rayon. .Any of these may be used, although those derived from cotton or 'wool are preferred. Of course, other materials, such as rubber or rubber composition, may be employed, sothat the invention is not restricted to the materials hereinspecified.v

The flock. material forming the bed I8 may be I applied to the tops of the tables ID. in any de-' sired manner, but it is preferably sprayed. there.- on as said tables move forwardly. To this end, there is positionedin advance of the laying. stationA a suitable spray apparatus 19 comprising a. hood or housing 20 mounted in ya fixed position above the path. of. travel of thetables. I0, and closed at thetop, sides and ends thereof but open at the bottom. Arranged within. the housing 20 is a header 2i extending. transversely of the tables and provided with a plurality of spaced spray nozzles 22 directed downwardly andforwardlyin the direction. of movement of the-tables Ill. The

' flock material to be sprayed upon the tablesis delivered: to the header 2 I through a supply pipe 23 and is discharged from the nozzles 22 in the form of sprays to formthe bed [8.

The flock material may be sprayed upon the tables in loose, dry form or it may be sprayed in suspension in a liquid, such as water, or in an adhesive suspension- The size and spacing of the spray nozzles 22 is so determined that a layer I8 of even, uniform thickness will be applied to the tables. When sprayed upon the tables, the flock material will compact to form .a relatively dense, soft, yielding bed for the glass sheets and which will not mar or scratch the glass surfaces. If desired, additional compacting of the flock particles may be accomplished by the provision of "a presser roll 25 arranged transversely of the tables. The presser roll 25 is mounted upon a shaft26 iournaled in bearings 21 and may be driven in anydesired manner. This roll also serves to smooth out any inequalities in the upper surface of the bed "8 and is particularly useful when the flock particles are sprayed tables in loose, dry form.

When the flock material is sprayed upon the tables in an adhesive suspension, the particles thereof will of course adhere to one another and also'to the tops of the tables. When the flock is applied in a liquid or adhesive suspension, it is necessary to remove the liquid or dry the adhesive' before placing the glass sheets thereon. To this end, the tables l0, after passing beneath the presser roll 25, can be passed beneath suitable upon the heating means 28 which serves to dry the sup- As pointed out above, it has been heretofore customary to secure the glass sheets l4 upon the porting bed. The heating means 28 may be of any desired construction but is here shown as comprising a housing 29 containing a plurality of. steam pipes 30'. However, the drying ofthe bed may be accomplished by electric heating units, by infra-red radiation, or in any other desired manner.

A glass sheet I4 is then laid freely upon the supporting bed H5 at the. laying station A and carried successively beneath the grinding runners l5 and polishing runners [6. If desired, any excess flock material along the sides of the tables may be removed by the edge brushes 3| keyed to shafts 32 journaled in bearings 33. These brushes are disposed at an angle to the direction of travel of the tables l0 and serve toremove excess flock material from the raised. ribs l3 along the sides of said tables. After the glass sheets. I4 have been ground and polished, they can be readily removed from the tables at the stripping station E.

Upon continued movement of the tables III, the supporting bed la is subjected to the. action of liquid sprays 34from a transverse pipe 35. and

which serve to loosen the flock from the tables,

as indicated at 36. The tables can then be passed beneath a heater 3'! which acts to dry the loose material. This heatermay be of any suitable type, but as here shown comprises a casing. 38 containing steam pipes 39 extending transversely of the tables. However, if desired, hot air blasts may be used for drying the material. Upon con tinued movement of the tables, the dried flock material is subjected to the action of a revolving cleaning brush 4!] which removes it. from the table. -If desired, the brush 40 may be arranged within, a housing 4| forming part of a vacuum system for effecting the carrying away of the the liquid sprays 34 and heater 3'! may not be required.

By spraying short or powdered flock particles upon the tables, they can be applied in an even, uniform manner to form a smooth, flat bed, upon which the glass sheets can be laid. The glass sheets. canbe freely supported upon the bed without danger of being accidentally displaced during surfacing; Furthermore, the fibrous surface. of the bed is soft and yielding and will not'scratch or mar the glass surface. If desired, the glass sheets can be spaced from one another and a strip of plaster of Paris'or the like 43 inserted between the adjacent ends thereof] as shown in Fig. 51- By supporting the glass sheets freely upon the tables, they cannot only be more readily laid thereon but more quickly and easily removed therefrom after 'surfacing and with lessv liability of breakage.

It is to be understood that the; form of the in vention herewith shown and described: is. to: be,

taken only as a preferred embodiment of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for surfacing glass sheets or,

plates, a table for supporting the sheet to be surfaced, and a coating of fibrous material formed upon and adherent to the top of said table and forming a bed having a lower surface fitting the contour of the table top and a smooth level upper surface for receiving the glass sheet.

2. In apparatus for surfacing glass sheets or plates, a table forsupporting the sheet to be surfaced, and. a coating of flock material formed upon the top of said table andformin a mat having a lower surface fitting the contour of the table top and a smooth level upper surface for receiving the glass sheet.

3. Inapparatus for surfacing glass sheets or plates, a table for supporting the sheet to be surtour of the table top and a smooth level upper surface for receiving the glass sheet.

5. In apparatusfor surfacing glass sheets or plates, a table for supporting the sheet to be surfaced, and a coating comprising a mixture of flock material and an adhesive formed upon the top of said table and providing a bed having a lower surface fitting exactly the contour of the table top and a smooth level upper surface for receiving the glass sheet.

EMMETT L. WALTERS.

faced, and a coating of short or powdered fibers 

